I am a complete chocolate freak. I love it and even though I try to be calorie conscious, I do find myself indulging in chocolate daily. During a recent trip to PCC (a Pacific Northwest store similar to Whole Foods), I saw Cacao Nibs and decided to give them a try.

I remembered seeing these covered on a feature of the Today show with their resident nutrition expert, Joy Bauer. During her segment she spoke of cacao nibs and how they were rich in anti-oxidants, iron and magnesium. Also high in vitamins and fiber, these seemed like the perfect addition to my diet.  I purchased the Cacao Nibs sweetened with organic cane juice because I wanted my nibs to be on the sweeter side.  The taste can be likened to a very dark chocolate that has a crunchy texture somewhat like Grape Nuts.

My favorite way to enjoy these is with a 100 calorie pack of Chobani Greek Yogurt and fresh raspberries.  The cacao nibs give these just the right amount texture and chocolate flavor that I love.  This really feels like a treat, rather than a healthy breakfast or snack.  I have also enjoyed cacao nibs in yogurt, oatmeal and my favorite chocolate chip cookie recipe.   I do caution to watching the amount of these nibs you use per serving.  I generally add about 2 tablespoons to my yogurt which is 75 calories, 5 grams of fat, 2.5 grams of fiber and 1.5 grams of protein.  Here are some pics of my fave snack:

As a quick update, I breezed through my first bag of Cacao Nibs and saw that you can find these on Amazon as an add-on item here.  The cost is $3.59 (WAY cheaper than what I paid at PCC) and if you are an Amazon prime member and order more than $25, shipping is free!

Enjoy!
Catherine